Bears’ Run Game is Holding Back Otherwise Burgeoning Offense

The Chicago Bears entered the 2025 season looking to turn the page on a disappointing 2024 campaign, and so far, the results have been encouraging. Under first-year head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears’ offense has made noticeable strides.

The passing game has become one of the more efficient units in the league, and the overall offensive scheme appears more dynamic and cohesive. However, despite these improvements, the run game remains a glaring weakness that continues to hold back Chicago’s offensive potential.

Passing Game and Scheme Show Promise

The Bears’ offense has shown major improvement from the 2024 season. Williams is leading one of the better passing attacks in the NFL, with receivers doing a much better job getting open and creating explosive plays. The offensive line has vastly improved in pass protection and has been phenomenal in run blocking. The offensive scheme has also taken a significant leap under Johnson.

Chicago ranks 11th in the NFL in points per game (25.3), a 7.1-point increase from 2024. The team also ranks 15th in EPA per pass and 4th in Pass Block Win Rate. Despite these positives, the offense still ranks 28th in Success Rate and 22nd in EPA per play.

Several factors could be causing these inconsistencies, such as frequent pre-snap penalties. The Bears rank 7th in the league with 3.25 pre-snap penalties per game and are the fourth-most penalized team overall.

Much of this, however, could be attributed to players and coaches still adjusting to one another. As the season progresses, the Bears will likely cut down on these mistakes, allowing them to find more rhythm and consistency on offense.

D’Andre Swift Struggling to Find His Footing

The biggest factor holding the offense back is the lack of a consistent run game and the underwhelming play of running back D’Andre Swift.

At first glance, Swift’s 2025 box score numbers don’t look promising. He ranks 33rd in rushing yards, 23rd in touchdowns, and 38th in yards per attempt (minimum 25 carries). His advanced metrics are even worse: Among running backs with at least 25 carries, Swift ranks 34th in total EPA, 34th in EPA per rush, 28th in Success Rate, and 24th in Explosive Run Rate.

This lack of production is crippling the Bears’ offense. While poor rushing numbers can often be blamed on subpar blocking, that isn’t the case in Chicago. The Bears’ offensive line ranks first in the NFL in Run Block Win Rate. Johnson’s offensive system is built around a productive ground attack, especially on early downs. The Bears rank 12th in rushing attempts on early downs but 21st in Success Rate while facing the second-fewest defenders in the box (minimum of 50 carries).